The city of Dendera is located on the west bank of the Nile, about 60 km (37 miles) to the north of Luxor. The Dendera Temple Complex is situated around 2.5 km (1.55 miles) to the southeast of this city.

The city of Abydos located 105 km north of Dendera City. The city of Abydose is home to the temple of Seti I.

These two temples are the absolute best in Egypt.  They are the most intact, most colorful, most mysterious, most exciting and best Temples in Egypt.

From Luxor, you can visit Abydos and Dendera on a day trip. It’s a long day, takes around 10 hours, and much of the time is spent in a car. But if you want to see the most fascinating, spectacular two temples in Egypt, this is well worth your time.

DAY TRIP TO DENDERA AND ABYDOS

You will spend a approximately two hours at each temple complex. Most day trips start in Abydos and stop in Dendera on the way back to Luxor.

ABYDOS AND THE TEMPLE OF SETI I

Getting to Abydos: To get to Abydos from Luxor, it is 170 km drive that takes 3 hours.

Abydos has a special place in the sacred landscape of ancient Egypt, as it was believed to be the place where Osiris was buried. Thus, Abydos was an important cult center for Osiris. A number of temples dedicated to Osiris, all of which were located in one area, were built prior to Seti I’s reign. The Temple of Seti, however, was built on new ground to the south of said temples.

Seti’s temple was mainly built of limestone, though parts of it were constructed with sandstone. Although work began under Seti, the temple was only completed during the reign of his son, Ramesses II. This is visible in some of the temple’s reliefs depicting Ramesses slaying Asiatics and worshipping Osiris.

Like the temples of his predecessors, Seti’s temple was dedicated to Osiris, and consisted of a pylon, two open courts, two hypostyle halls, seven shrines, each to an important Egyptian deity ( Horus, Isis, Osiris, Amun-Ra, Ra-Horakhty and Ptah) and one to Seti himself, a chapel dedicated to the different forms of the god Osiris, and several chambers to the south.

In addition to the main temple, there was also an Osireion at the back of it. Various additions to the temple were made by later pharaohs, including those from the Late, Ptolemaic, and Roman periods.

A Declaration of Legitimacy to the Throne

The Temple of Seti I played an important role in his family’s claim as a legitimate royal household. Prior to the ascension to the throne by Seti’s father, Ramesses I, Seti’s ancestors were merely warriors, generals at most. Without royal blood in his veins, Seti had to consolidate his position, and one of the ways to do so was to build temples.

Seti I taking a flail from HorusIn addition to the worship of Egypt’s traditional gods, Seti’s temple had another feature that made his rule legitimate. This was the Abydos King List , which was found carved on a wall of the temple. The Abydos King List contains the names of 76 kings of ancient Egypt, predecessors whom Seti acknowledged to be legitimate pharaohs.

Pharaohs List at AbydosOn the other hand, earlier rulers who were considered illegitimate, such as Hatshepsut and Akhenaten, were conveniently omitted from the List. The Abydos King List was arranged in three rows, each containing 38 cartouches. While the first two rows consisted of the names of his predecessors, the third row is just a repetition of Seti’s throne name and praenomen (personal name).

Entrance to the temple of Seti I

A view down the axis of the hypostyle hall at Abydos

DENDERA AND THE HATHOR TEMPLE

Hathor ColumnDriving to Dendera: To get to Dendera from Abydos, it is a 105 km drive that takes an hour and half.

Godess Hathor

Hathor was a major goddess in the ancient Egyptian pantheon, who personified the principles of joy, feminine love, and motherhood, and her cult center was at Dendera, one of the best-preserved temple complexes in all of Egypt. The Temple of Hathor is the largest and most impressive buildings in this religious complex, and is visually stunning with its grand entrance, detailed carvings, hieroglyphs, and decorated ceilings.

Dendera:

Dendera is said to mark an old holy place, even by the standards of the ancient Egyptians. It has been pointed out that there is evidence for religious structures built at the site during the reign of the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Pepi I (towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC). There are also remnants of a temple that was built during the New Kingdom, specifically the 18th Dynasty. The current complex, including the Temple of Hathor, however, dates to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, with (at least) one building dating to the Late Period. This is the mammisi (birth house) of Nectanebo II, the last native ruler of ancient Egypt who ruled during the 4th century BC.

The Temple of Hathor

 The Dendera Temple Complex covers an area of 40,000 square meters (430,556.42 sq. ft.), and is surrounded by a large mudbrick wall. Within this enclosure are various structures, including the Temple of the Birth of Isis, a Roman mammisi (attributed either to the reign of Trajan or Nero), a sanatorium, and a sacred lake. It was made famous by a carving that many believe depicts an electrical lightbulb. Nevertheless, the most impressive part of the temple complex is undoubtedly the Temple of Hathor.

The Temple of Hathor was largely constructed during the Late Ptolemaic period, specifically during the reign of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra VII. Later additions were made during the Roman period. Although built by a dynasty of rulers who were not native Egyptians themselves, the design of this temple has been found to be in accordance to that of other classical Egyptian temples, with the exception of the front of the hypostyle hall, which, according to an inscription above the entrance, was constructed by the Emperor Tiberius.

 

Dendera Zodiac

The Dendera Zodiac is a bas-relief that is carved onto the ceiling of chapel in the Temple of Hathor. It depicts the constellations and includes the signs of the Zodiac. The original Dendera  Zodiac was removed from the temple in 1821,and it now resides at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.A copy of the Dendera Zodiac can be seen on the chapel ceiling.

Dendera Zodiac

Dendera Light

The Dendera Light comprises five stone reliefs that is a mythological depiction of a djed pillar and a lotus flower spawning a snake inside. The djed pillar is a symbol of stability and can also be interpreted as the backbone of the God Osiris. The Snake coming out of the lotus flower symbolizes fertility.

The famous Dendera lightbulbThe Dendera Light comprises five stone reliefs that is a mythological depiction of a djed pillar and a lotus flower spawning a snake inside. The djed pillar is a symbol of stability and can also be interpreted as the backbone of the God Osiris. The Snake coming out of the lotus flower symbolizes fertility.

 

ENTRANCE FEES FOR 2021

Abydos

100 EGP per adult, 50 EGP per student (Valid ID)

300 EGP for a Camera ticket

Dendera

120 EGP per adult, 60 EGP per student (Valid ID)

300 EGP for a Camera ticket

We recommend doing this with guide and driver.

Check our offer: https://www.egyptkeytours.com/tours/day-tour-to-dendera-and-abydos-temples/

 

IS A DAY TRIP TO ABYDOS AND DENDERA WORTH IT?

This is a long day. You will spend a lot of time in the car and it’s not the most scenic of drivers. You will drive hundreds of speed bumps, going through numerous police checkpoints.  However, you get to see two of the best-preserved temple complex in Egypt.